Following a close defeat to the USA in the recurve archery mixed team bronze medal match at the Paris Olympics, Indian archer Dhiraj Bommadevara expressed his disappointment at missing out on a medal. However, he remains optimistic about the future and views the experience as a stepping stone for improvement. The Indian archery team’s quest for its first Olympic medal continued as Ankita Bhakat and Dhiraj Bommadevara faced a tough loss in the bronze medal match. Despite making history by becoming the first Indian pair to reach the semi-finals in a mixed archery event, their campaign ended in heartbreak when their arrows fell short at crucial moments.
In an interview with ANI, Dhiraj shared his sentiments: “It’s encouraging that we have performed better than in previous Olympics. Nonetheless, it’s disheartening to miss out on a medal this time. We have made significant progress. With the support from the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), and the federation, we will continue to work hard. We will take the lessons we’ve learned here and apply them to enhance our future performances.”
Dhiraj also highlighted the team’s misfortune during the competition. “We came very close to winning despite our near-perfect performance. We will return, strive for perfection, and make a strong comeback. Missing out on a medal when you’re just one step away is tough, especially considering the sacrifices and hard work involved. However, we remain positive and view this as a challenge to overcome and keep striving.”
The Indian pair was on the brink of securing bronze but ultimately fell short. Their match didn’t start well as Ankita’s opening shot scored a seven, allowing the American team to take the first set by one point. The Americans led 2-0 with a score of 38-37.
In the second set, Ankita’s shot again scored a seven, though Dhiraj hit a ten. Despite Casey hitting an eight, the American team won the set 37-35 after Brandy scored a ten.
In a critical third set, Ankita started with a ten, and Dhiraj followed with a nine. Brandy responded with a ten, while Casey’s seven allowed India to close the gap to 2-4 with a score of 38-34.
The fourth set, which determined the final outcome, saw Ankita scoring an eight and Dhiraj a nine. The American team capitalized on the situation and secured the bronze medal with a 6-2 victory.
Before competing for the bronze, Dhiraj and Ankita were narrowly defeated by South Korea’s Kim Woojin and Lim Sihyeon in the semi-finals.
